Street-sweeper.



No. 700,900. Patented May 27, I902.

S. CONRATH.

STB EET SWEEPER.

(Application filed Jan 6, 1902.) (No ModeI'.)

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N0. 700,000. Patented May 27, I902.

s. CONRATH.

STREET SWEEPER.

{Application filed Jan. 6, 1902.)

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SOLOMON CONRATH, OF CO STREET-S OKPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

WEEPER.

SPECIFICATION f; ning part of Letters Patent No. 7 00,900, dated May 27,1902.

Application filed January 6, 1902.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SOLOMON CONRATH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cookport, in the county of Indiana and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsinStreet-Sweepers; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements instreet-sweepers.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine of this characterwhich shall be simple of construction, comparatively inexpensive ofproduction and eflicient in operation, and one in which the sweepingsare automatically deposited into a receptacle and the sweeping mechanismmounted so as to be readily and conveniently thrown into and out ofoperative position at will.

\rVith this and other objects in view, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists incertain novel features of construction and combination and arrangementof parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, defined in theappended claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a View looking toward one side of a street-sweeper embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 is a View looking toward the opposite side thereof.Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. l is a top plan view ofthe rear axle and wheels, showing a modification in the gearing.

' Like reference characters designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

The numeral 1 in the drawings represents an ordinary wagon box or bodywhich serves as a receptacle for the sweepings. This box or body issupported by the front and rear wheels 2 and 3, mounted upon the axles aand 5. These parts of the running-gear may be of the ordinaryconstruction, except that I fix upon the hub of one of the rear wheels 3a spur gear-rim 6 and upon the hub of the other rear wheel 3 asprocketrim 7. WVhere the axle 5 rotates and the wheels 3 are fixedthere- Serial No 88,662. (No model.)

to the said gear-rims 6 and 7 may be secured to or formed upon the axle,if desired, as shown in Fig. 4.

The sweeping mechanism is carried by a frame'S, mounted to swingin avertical plane upon a transverse shaft 0, journaled upon the upper rearend of the body, said frame comprising in its construction side bars 10,connected by cross-pieces 11 and having depending therefrom hangers 12,maintained in rigid relation to the bars by inclined braces 13. Theforward ends of the bars are extended to form hand-levers 14, by meansof which the frame may be swung up and down on said shaft 9, and thefree ends of these levers are adapted, by means of a pin 15, to beengaged by catches 15, secured to the sides of the wagon-body, to-holdthe frame and the sweeping mechanism carried thereby elevated out ofaction.

Journaled in the lower ends of the hangers is a shaft 16, carrying therotating brush 17, with which cooperates an endless conveyor 18, whichcarries the sweepings from the brush to the box or body 1. This endlessconveyer is mounted upon a suitable frame 19, supported at its lower endfrom the hangers 12 or shaft 16 by braces 20 and mounted to swing at itsupper end upon the transverse shaft 9. Motion is transmitted to theendless conveyer through a sprocket-pinion 21, fixed to the shaft 9 andconnected by chains 22 to sprocket-wheels 23, fixed to a shaft journaledin the lower end of the conveyor-frame 19. The shaft 9 is provided witha sprocket-wheel 23 and is driven by a chain 24, connecting saidsprocket-wheel with the sprocket wheel or rim 7 on the hub of one of therear wheels 3.

The brush 17 is rotated by means of a sprocket-pinion 25, fixed to theshaft 16 and connected by a chain 26 with a sprocketwheel 27, suitablyjournaled upon the bed or body 1 and rigidly connected with a spurgear-wheel 28, which meshes with the spurgear 6, fixed upon the hub ofthe other rear wheel.

A curved deflector or conductor plate 29, secured to the braces 20, isprovided to cover the space below the brush 17 and between the same andthe lower end of the endless conveyer to catch the sweepings from thebrush and permit ofthe same being forced up onto said conveyer.

In operation the sweeping mechanism is thrown into action by releasingthe catches from engagement with the levers 14, whereupon the frame 8will swing downward by gravity, thus bringing the brush 17 into contactwith the ground. The rotation of said brush effects the sweeping of thestreet-surface,and the sweepings are deposited thereby upon the endlessconveyer 18, which deposits the same into the wagon bed or body 1. Thesweeping mechanism is thrown out of action by forcing "or pulling thelevers 14 downward and bringing them into engagement with the catches15, whereby the frame 8 is swung upwardly and the brush is elevatedabove the surface of the ground.

When the wagon-body l is filled, the sweepings may be removed therefromin any approved manner.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, mode ofoperation, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparentwithout requiring an extended explanation.

I claim In a street-sweeper, the combination with an ordinary wagon boxor body and its running-gear; of a transverse shaft journaled upon theupper rear end of said box, a swinging frame independent of the wagonframe or box and comprising side bars connected by suitable cross-piecesand mounted to swing upon the transverse shaft, the rear ends of saidbars projecting beyond the rear end of the Wagon-box and the front endsthereof being extended forwardly on opposite sides of the body andterminating in lever-arms,

hangers depending from the rear ends of the.

side bars, a shaft mounted in the hangers and carrying a rotatablebrush, an endless conveyer-frame mounted to swing upon the transverseshaft, braces connecting the lower end of the conveyer-frame with thebrush-shaft, whereby said conveyer-frame is mounted to swing with thesweeper-frame, an endless conveyer carried by the conveyer-frame,gearing between the transverse shaft and endless conveyer for operatingthe latter, gearing between the transverse shaft and running-gear of thevehicle and between the brush and running gear for driving saidtransverse shaft and brush, and catches for engaging the lever-arms whenthe latter are depressed to hold the swinging frame and brush mechanismelevated, substantially in the manner described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

SOLOMON CONRATI-I.

Witnesses:

E. E. WILLIAMS, G. W. MCCULLOUGH.

